Operating Procedures

The following documents provide further inform regarding the designation, structure, and operation of the Orange County Transportation Council (OCTC) as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) responsible for the transportation policy, planning, and investment decision making for the Orange County area.  

The OCTC, being a consortium which cannot enter into contracts or employ staff, has designated the County of Orange as its host agency. The host agency, through a contract with the State of New York, employs staff, coordinates OCTC activities and administers the UPWP.   

Operating Procedures

The Orange County Transportation Council has a voting body known as the Policy Board and a staff-level Planning Committee. The OCTC Operating Procedures (PDF) describe its organizational structure and processes.

Cooperative Agreement

On February 14, 2007 the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) jointly published the Metropolitan Transportation Planning; Final Rule which became effective March 16, 2007. The Final Rule requires that MPOs, States, and public transportation operators "cooperatively determine their mutual responsibilities in carrying out the metropolitan transportation planning process" and that "[t]hese responsibilities shall be clearly identified in written agreements among the MPO, the State, and the public transportation operator". The Final Rule states that a single cooperative agreement between the State, MPO, and public transportation operator is preferable to separate agreements between the State and the MPO, and the public transportation operator and the MPO.

In the Orange County area, OCTC is the MPO and the County of Orange and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) are the public transportation operators. A cooperative agreement was signed by OCTC, New York State Department of Transportation, MTA, and the County of Orange.